Why We Can’t Rebuild the Old Way After the LA Fires

LA Is at a Crossroads

The wildfires that tore through Los Angeles County this January weren’t just devastating—they were a wake-up call. Thousands of homes destroyed. Entire communities uprooted. Nearly 40% of county residents say their health or their family’s health was affected by smoke exposure. And according to a UC Berkeley/LA Times poll, nearly a quarter of Los Angeles County residents are now considering leaving the region altogether.

This isn’t just about LA. Climate disasters are hitting harder and more often—whether it’s wildfires in California and Hawaii, hurricanes in the Gulf, or floods in the Midwest. Rebuilding has become a national challenge, and we’re not keeping up.

The truth is, we can’t rebuild using the same methods that failed us in the first place. If we want to recover faster, safer, and more affordably, we need to fundamentally change how we build. That starts with industrialized construction and resilient design—solutions like prefabricated materials and Passive House standards that can scale to meet this moment.

The Problem with "Business as Usual" Construction

1. It’s Too Slow: Traditional construction relies on manual labor, variable site conditions, and on-site decision-making. It’s a recipe for delays—and in disaster zones, delays have real consequences. After the Camp Fire destroyed Paradise, CA in 2018, less than half of the homes had been rebuilt five years later. In Maui, where wildfires killed over 100 people in 2023, permitting and supply chain delays are still slowing the recovery. Read more | See delays in Maui
2. It’s Too Expensive: Construction is plagued by what Congressman Jake Auchincloss, who represents Massachusetts' 4th District, calls Baumol’s Cost Disease—a phenomenon where labor-intensive industries grow more expensive over time without matching productivity gains. "If we built cars the way we build houses—by hand, one at a time, in a driveway—they’d cost a fortune."
3. It’s Not Resilient Enough: Most homes are still built with wood framing, fiberglass insulation, and ventilation systems that are vulnerable to fire, smoke, and extreme heat. When a wildfire hits, these structures become fuel, and even undamaged homes often become uninhabitable due to poor air quality and insulation.

What Rebuilding Needs Now:
Speed, Safety, and Scale

To rebuild after disasters like the LA fires—and prepare for future ones—we need to embrace building methods that are:

• Faster to deploy
• Cost-effective at scale
• Fire-resistant and disaster-resilient
• Comfortable, clean, and energy-efficient

This is where prefabrication and Passive House principles come in.

The Case for Prefabrication:
Fast, Scalable Recovery

Prefabrication shifts most construction off-site to a controlled factory environment. Panels or modules are built in advance, transported to the site, and assembled quickly. It’s not a new idea—but thanks to modern materials and precision manufacturing, it’s now faster, cheaper, and more scalable than ever.

This method:

• Cuts construction time in half
• Reduces labor costs
• Minimizes delays due to weather or materials
• Delivers higher precision and less waste

In San Francisco, the Tahanan Supportive Housing project used modular construction to cut both time and cost nearly in half. Yet developers remain hesitant to repeat it—due to union resistance, regulatory inertia, and legacy expectations.

The Case for Passive House:

Comfort and Safety Under Pressure

Passive House is a rigorous building standard that dramatically reduces energy use while maximizing indoor comfort. Homes built to Passive House specs stay cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter, and cleaner in smoky or polluted conditions.

Why it matters for recovery:

• Airtight construction keeps smoke out
• Super insulation keeps homes livable during outages
• Energy efficiency means lower long-term costs
• Quiet, draft-free environments support mental health after trauma

For fire survivors already dealing with stress and displacement, Passive House is more than a luxury—it’s a lifeline.

Resilience Starts with Materials:

Why MgO Panels Are Game-Changers

Simplus Systems uses MgO (Magnesium Oxide) structural panels as a core component of its building system. These fire-resistant, mold-resistant, and termite-proof panels are not only safer, they’re sustainable and designed for Passive House performance.

• Withstand temperatures over 1,800°F
• Don’t release toxic smoke when exposed to fire
• Are non-combustible and inorganic
• Can be prefabricated into structural wall systems

They’re exactly what fire-prone communities need to rebuild with confidence.

Protecting the Vulnerable:

Equity in Recovery

Disasters don’t strike evenly. Low-income and elderly residents are often hardest hit—and slowest to recover. Prefabricated, energy-efficient housing can:

• Rehouse displaced families faster
• Lower monthly energy costs
• Create healthier indoor air for those with respiratory conditions
• Build equity by providing long-term housing stability

Whether you’re a senior housing developer, university housing manager, or a city official trying to shelter residents after a fire—faster, smarter building benefits everyone.

Beyond LA:

A National Model for Smarter Rebuilding

While the focus now is on LA, these solutions apply anywhere climate disaster hits:

• Florida: Hurricane-resistant prefab homes
• Midwest: Flood-resistant modular construction
• West Coast: Fire-resistant housing
• Seismic regions: Factory-built structures for earthquake resilience

Every city will face its own crisis. The smart ones will be ready.

What Comes Next?

We have two paths ahead:

• Path 1: Rebuild slowly, using the same systems that failed—spending more time and money, risking more lives, and stretching public resources to the breaking point.
• Path 2: Rebuild faster, safer, and better—using prefabricated, fire-resistant, energy-efficient buildings that protect people and communities.

The technology is here. The proof is here. What we need now is the will to act.

Want to Be Part of the Solution?

Simplus Systems helps developers, planners, and public officials build smarter—from disaster zones to urban infill.

If you're interested in:

• Faster construction timelines
• Fire- and flood-resilient housing
• Passive House performance
• Scalable solutions for post-disaster recovery

Contact Simplus Systems to learn how we can help.